MCI to slash 500 seats in Kolkata due to lack of infrastructure

According to a directive issued by the MCI, two government medical colleges — Midnapore Medical College and North Bengal Medical College — are barred from admitting an increased intake of 150 seats against 100 seats in the 2017-18 academic session.TNN | July 26, 2017, 08:49 IST

KOLKATA: The Medical Council of India (MCI), in its recent general body meeting, has recommended the cancellation of 500 seats in the state — of which 100 seats are from government medical colleges — due to lack of infrastructure. The cancellation of seats will bring down the medical student intake to 2,100.

According to a directive issued by the MCI, two government medical colleges — Midnapore Medical College and North Bengal Medical College — are barred from admitting an increased intake of 150 seats against 100 seats in the 2017-18 academic session. These two colleges were allowed an additional intake of 50 seats two years ago. Apart from these, two private medical colleges — IQ City Medical College, Burdwan, (150 seats) and ICARE Medical College, Haldia, (100 seats) were debarred from admitting students in the 2017-18 academic session.

Gouri Devi Institute of Medical Sciences, Durgapur, (150 seats) has been disallowed from admitting students in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 academic sessions. In April 2017, the MCI had recommended cancelling of 495 medical seats — all the medical seats that had been increased in the last five years —because of the lack of infrastructural facilities. But after the state made a strong representation, the highest medical body decided to restore 395 of the 495 seats. Only 100 seats — 50 of Midnapore Medical College and 50 of North Bengal Medical College — were reserved and sent to the general body meeting for approval.

“The MCI recommendations at that time was only on infrastructure. But there are other issues failing the criteria of the commission and different kind of allegations of corrupt practices. We have taken many things into consideration while disallowing admission,” a senior MCI member said.

At present, there are 2,600 medical seats in 18 medical colleges, including four private medical colleges. Among these, 637 are reserved for all-India medical joint entrance candidates and 1463 students from the West Bengal joint entrance examination will be eligible for medical studies effectively.

“This will take away the opportunity of many good students and the West Bengal government should have been careful before giving permission to the private medical colleges. The infrastructure of the medical colleges have improved but the state medical education department should have been cautious in improving the infrastructural facilities of government medical colleges in the districts as well,” JEE trainer Amiya Kumar Maity said.

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